But while the technical aspects of his work engage him, he says it's the human side of medicine that makes his efforts worthwhile.

"I love using the skills I have to help people and to address the particular cancer that ails them," Dr. Sharma says.

When Dr. Sharma meets with patients, he makes sure he spends time in person to help them understand their disease and options for treatment. He guides them through the decisions they need to make, from treatment to recovery.

"I want to be a part of the process with them, every step of the way," he says.

Discussing cases with his colleagues, Dr. Sharma is able to recommend the best combinations of treatments, from surgery to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This approach creates a personalized treatment plan for each patient.

Patients also benefit from access to clinical trials that aren't available at other medical centers, Dr. Sharma says. The access UT Southwestern can offer improves each patient's chances of survival. In his own research, Dr. Sharma continually looks at novel therapies for managing soft-tissue sarcomas, melanomas, and related tumors, especially in the areas of combination therapies and evaluating mechanisms of resistance.